The Iranian team opened the championship with a 99-55 win over Jordan and then defeated Iraq 94-61 in the following day.

Lebanon and Jordan, as the second and third teams, qualified for the Asia Championship in the Philippines which serves as the qualifying tournament for the 2014 World Cup in Spain. Iran had already booked a place in the competition.

The competition brought four teams, namely Iran, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq together. Syria had withdrawn from the tournament.

Boxing

Cuba is ready to scrap the rule preventing boxers turning pro which has lasted over 50 years so they can sign up to join the International Boxing Association’s, World Series of Boxing (WSB) and AIBA Pro Boxing .

But with AIBA looking to turn the sport pro, Cuba looks set to changes its laws to allow fighters to compete in the WSB and the APB, which will debut later this year, allowing fighters to compete professionally while retaining their Olympic eligibility.

Pakistan finished last after losing all their matches, which were moved to Cuttack when the right-wing nationalist Shiv Sena party threatened to disrupt Pakistan’s matches in Mumbai.

The Intl Cricket Council decided to house Pakistan at the club house of the Barabati stadium instead of a hotel for security reasons. “Players were overwhelmed by fears as no hotel was willing to give them security,” said Ashraf.

Nine Pakistani players have also withdrew from the Hockey India League over threats from Shiv Sena last month, after clashes killed five soldiers along the de facto border between India and Pakistan in the disputed region of Kashmir.

Football

Orange Africa Cup of Nation, South Africa Jan 19- Feb 10:

Mba scored a magnificent winner as Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time.

The Nigerians made the breakthrough just before half-time when Mba clipped the ball over Mohamed Koffi and then volleyed into the corner.

Ahmed Musa slipped as he looked set to score and Victor Moses almost poked home as Nigeria eased to victory.

The final proved to be one game too many for the Burkinabe, who had failed to win a single game on foreign soil before the tournament.

Nigerian football team hoist the Africa Cup of Nations trophy aloft for the third time

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi, who captained the Super Eagles when they last won the title in 1994, becomes only the second man to lift the trophy as a player and as a coach after Egyptian Mahmoud El Gohary.

It is also the first time for 21 years that a black African coach has won the cup – Ivory Coast’s Yeo Martial was the last to do so in 1992.

The UEFA President, Michel Platini, has warned Zinedine Zidane against starting his coaching career with France.

Zidane recently admitted he would like to coach, sparking a frenzy of suggestions he could eventually replace ex-international teammate Didier Deschamps at the head of the national team.

“It’s not easy, and perhaps it’s not a good thing for Zinedine to put him in charge of the French team straightaway. They didn’t do me any favours in doing that. National team coach is more the climax of a career than the start,” Platini said, though he did back Zidane’s new career direction.

Nicolas Anelka has signed for Juventus on a 5 month deal

Nicolas Anelka has signed for Juventus on a 5 month loan deal from China’s Shangai Shenhua. Juventus General Manager, Beppe Marotta, says the 33-year-old striker will end his “emergency” situation in attack.

Tennis

Fed Cup:

India’s Sania Mirza has pulled out of the tournament due to a hip strain.

Mirza sustained the injury at the Australian Open where she lost in the mixed doubles quarter-finals with new partner Bob Bryan after making a shock first round exit in the women’s doubles with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Mirza has been advised to take two weeks off after initial assessments in Australia. She will not be able to defend her doubles title at Pattaya tournament.

Olympics

Africa has several countries capable already of hosting the Olympics but is being denied because of “prejudice” claimed President of the Confederation of African Football.

Cameroonian, Issa Hayatou who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee, made the claim as the African Cup of Nations came to a successful conclusion in Johannesburg when Nigeria beat Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final in Johannesburg.

The tournament follows South Africa’s successful 2010 World Cup, the first time the event had been awarded to an African country.

“South Africa can definitely organise the Olympic Games, with its infrastructure, hotels, communications, transport,” said Hayatou.

“I don’t know if there are 10 countries in Europe that can be better than South Africa in that respect.”

Over 120 people attended a landmark conference on the media reporting of Islam and Muslims. It was held jointly by The Muslim News and Society of Editors in London on September 15.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2015 was held on March in London to acknowledge British Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to the society.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2015 was held on March in London to acknowledge British Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to the society.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence event is to acknowledge British Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to society. Over 850 people from diverse background, Muslim and non-Muslim, attended the gala dinner.